The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last week launched a scathing attack on the All Progressives Congress (APC) over its government’s poor performance since 2015.
The same week, the Rivers State Governor, Siminilayi Fubara, pointed to resource control as the cause of the current crisis in the state.
This and three other stories we tracked dominated public discourse in the country last week.
1. PDP dares APC on the 2027 election
On November 4, the PDP described the APC as a party of political vampires exploiting Nigerians.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the party also labelled the APC as a coalition of power-seekers, treasury looters, and manipulators focused solely on “grabbing, snatching, and running off with Nigeria’s resources to leave the citizens in distress.”
The PDP was responding to the ruling party’s recent attacks on Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde.
The statement read: “The APC should acknowledge its failures and prepare to exit in February 2027. The PDP, backed by Nigerians, will end the APC’s political journey, putting this contraption where it belongs—in political oblivion.”
Why it matters
While the PDP may be right about its assessment of the APC and its time in power, there are doubts however on the party’s readiness to wrest power from the broom-wielding men in 2027 with the myriads of problems threatening to put the party into oblivion.
With the crisis that led to its capitulation in the last general election still fresh in the memory, and not forgetting the party’s period in power regarded by many as the “years of the locust,” Nigerians are undoubtedly looking beyond both the APC and PDP in their search for a credible platform that will take the country out of the woods.
2. Fubara on Rivers crisis
On November 3, the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, identified the struggle for control of resources as the primary cause of the ongoing political crisis in the state.
He stated this at the 18th-anniversary celebration of Omega Power Ministries (OPM) and Chibuzor Chinyere’s 51st birthday held at the church’s headquarters in Mbodo, Aluu, near Port Harcourt.
The governor said: “Rivers State resources belong to you, and we will make sure that the resources are applied judiciously for the betterment of the state.”
“What you owe us is just one thing: continue to pray for us. Let us not lose focus because we know the devil is always at war to derail people in governance.”
Why it matters
The governor’s admission of the shameless descent into lawlessness by selfish politicians shows that many elected public officials are in the system to grab power and share the spoil of offices.
Suffice it to say that greed is the root cause of the crisis that has turned the oil-rich into the theatre of the absurd in the last 13 months.
The question most people have continued to ask is what lessons these elites who have lost the verve to do anything worthwhile are passing to Nigerians, particularly the youth, who look up to them as role models.
3. 18 parties sign Ondo election peace accord
The Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and 17 others on November 8 signed a peace accord ahead of this weekend’s governorship election in the state.
Other party candidates that took part in the exercise were Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Olugbenga Edema, and the Labour Party flagbearer, Olusola Ebiseni.
The Chairman of the National Peace Committee (NPC), Abdulsalami Abubakar, who supervised the exercise, said it was to support a peaceful and credible electoral process.
He urged the party leaders and candidates to accept the outcome of the election as long as it was adjudged to be free, fair, and credible.
Abubakar said: “I want to call on all stakeholders to work assiduously in their capacities to ensure that peace reigns supreme during this election.
“And that the Ondo State off-cycle Election sets a precedent for other off-cycle elections to emulate.”
Why it matters
Although the Ondo election has been devoid of violence and brickbats associated with previous polls, the stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the police, must work to sustain this otherwise the exercise may be a jamboree that has no bearing on the state’s political climate.
4. Trump wins U.S. presidential election
Former President Donald Trump on November 5 won the United States presidential election.
He defeated Vice President Kamala Harris to stage a remarkable return to the White House he vacated in January 2021 following his defeat in the previous year’s election by President Joe Biden.
In his congratulatory message to the president-elect, President Bola Tinubu expressed his readiness to strengthen the ties between Nigeria and the U.S. amid the complex challenges and opportunities of the contemporary world.
“President Tinubu believes that, given President Trump’s experience as the 45th President of the United States from 2017 to 2021, his return to the White House as the 47th President will usher in an era of earnest, beneficial, and reciprocal economic and development partnerships between Africa and the United States,” a statement issued by his media aide, Bayo Onanuga read.
Why it matters
The transparent conduct of the U.S. election confirms the country’s status as a beacon of democracy for the rest of the world, particularly in Nigeria where electoral fraud, thuggery, and other unethical conduct are deeply ingrained in its electoral process.
We hope Nigerian authorities will take one or two lessons from the U.S. election and conduct elections that are generally acceptable to Nigerians.
5. New terror group emerges in North-West
The Defence Headquarters on November 7 confirmed the emergence of a new terror group known as “Lukarawas” in the North-West states of Sokoto and Kebbi.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen. Edward Buba, said at a media briefing in Abuja the new terror group is exacerbating insecurity in the North-West.
He, however, assured that the Armed Forces are already containing the terrorists.
Buba said: “Troops are confronted with a new terrorist sect in the North-West. This sect is known as Lukawaras, the Lukawaras are affiliated to terrorists in the Sahel, particularly from Mali and Niger Republic.
“They began incursion into Northern part of Nigeria, mainly Sokoto and Kebbi states, and as I mentioned, they came in from Niger and Mali axis.”
Why it matters
The infiltration of this new set of terrorists again speaks to the collapse of the country’s security architecture, particularly in border communities.
This development means the overstretched troops have their work cut out in the efforts to stamp out terrorism from the country and prevent it from sliding further into anarchy.